Bringing back into work (lunging)

[ellkez]

Hello!

I am looking for some advice and tips on my current situation on bringing back a horse into work and training him into showing.

I look after an 17.2hh (yikes! I know!) Hanoverian gelding at the age of 11 who hasn't been ridden in the past year/few years. All I know is that he has been sat in a field but still well cared for and he is in good health (just has a bit of a tubby grass belly!).

My aim is to bring him back into work and re-train him up to become a showing horse (owners request not mine).

My first plan of action would be to spend some bonding time with him on the ground and start some lunging to get him forward from my voice alone but I'm not to sure how long or what should be in my lunging session. Also should I start lunging him in just a lunging cavesson and then re-introduce tack?

Any advice or tips would be really appreciated

Many thanks x

 

[AengusOg]

If it were me doing this I'd be starting from scratch as if the horse were a total novice. That way the horse is getting a thorough education and so is less likely to present problems.

I usually start with very basic yielding exercises in hand. Teaching a horse to yield to pressure, both physical and remote, is the fundamental basis for all of his future training. Horses don't instinctively yield to pressure, and have to be taught that particular response to the application of pressure. If the horse doesn't understand how to yield, he will be resistant, and this will hamper his trainability.

Once the horse learns how to yield, his potential to resist is greatly reduced and he becomes compliant and willing in his responses, and this makes his training easier.

Learn about pressure and release and, if necessary, teach yourself to take and to give. It's the giving hand which teaches the horse that he is doing the right thing. The pressure asks, and the release allows. Tight hands and unrelenting pressure only encourage the horse to resist, whereas timely release of pressure helps him understand what is required of him, gives him nothing to resist, keeps him calm, and allows him to learn.

If you know very little of the horse's history, it would be wise to simplify everything as much as possible to start with. A lunge cavesson and a long rope should allow you to get a pretty accurate idea of what the horse understands about lunging, and using minimal tack initially will reduce the potential for complications.

You don't say whether you are practised in lunging or have much to learn. Do you have experience of long-reining?

 

[ellkez]

Hello AdngusOg,

Thank you for the advice, I have taken it all into account and will be putting it into action.

I haven't done long-reining before (I know basic principles of it) but I am more than happy to give it ago; what would my sessions be?

More advice and tips would be appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[wkiwi]

I would not lunge a horse that had been out of work for a long time. There is tremendous strain on the joints and legs going round in a small circle. As Aengus Og suggests, long reining would be much better as you can do straight lines.
Usually the horse will need at least three weeks walking (building up to 1 to 1 1/2 hours per day) before doing any other faster work but the time spent walking will depend on things like going/horses condition score/etc.
I don't think you can get enough advice on bringing a horse back into work via a chat forum like this, as the plan for work will depend on a lot of different factors. Perhaps get a good book on the subject or a trainer to give you advice after assessing the horse.

 

[ellkez]

Hello wkiwi,

Thank you for the advice, I will start off with long-reining as you and AengusOg have suggested.

Many thanks